1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design_ An Intimate Look at Fashion Designers and the Muses That Inspire Their Style ( PDFDrive )

CREATION

It is important for me to know which fabrics I am
going to use. In this case the fabrics represent the
warmth of the earth, so all of them will be natural
fibers. As you can see in the photos, the circular
forms are very associated with the elements of
nature and perfection. For this reason, I decided to
work the fabrics in circular knitting and tricot. We
hardly work on the fitting process to give birth of our
ideas. It takes many proofs, first over the mannequin
and then over the model, just to find the desirable
volume and silhouette.

302 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Nerea Lurgain 303

LOOK

Esther is wearing leggings and a shirt with dolman
sleeves covered with a red scarf that acts like
a bolero, and Pauline is wearing a large-sleeve
jumpsuit with central printed buttons and a red
jersey with a knotted scarf that reveals the nude of
her neck. The printings were based on trees painted
by an invited artist. The result is a dynamic look
where there is a play of movements among the
models. The garments match the colors and shapes
as if they were trees over the earth.

304 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design



OMER ASIM

www.blow.co.uk/omer

Sudanese-born designer Omer Asim studied architecture
at the Bartlett Faculty at University College London before
going on to study a postgraduate course in organizational
and social psychology at the London School of Economics
and Political Sciences. He was an intern for a time with the
United Nations Development Programme and was a step
away from becoming a psychoanalyst when he decided
his place was in fashion. It is precisely the influence of the
social and sentimental aspects he explored through his
experience with the UN and to his background, studies and
knowledge of architecture that he combines in a cocktail
reflected in his designs. Those designs are characterized
by great sensitivity, and with an undercurrent of social
criticism and detailed patternmaking that approaches
architecture. This allows him to achieve highly sculptural
pieces with great significance. Among his experiences in the
world of fashion, Omer has worked for Vivienne Westwood
for approximately one year, and as a wardrobe assistant for
the movie saga Harry Potter. In 2009 Omer presented his
first collection at the independent On|Off show, which is
held each season to coincide with London Fashion Week.
His first designs have been very well received by fashion
experts and the fashion press.

MY IT

She is the other It: comfortable and self-confident.
She knows what suits her and she is happy to try new
things. She takes fashion with a pinch of salt and she
is suspicious of fleeting trends. The other It is self-
styled and doesn’t need a friend’s opinion to buy
a frock. She’s a natural. She is generally concerned
about buying ethical green fashion, but she doesn’t
do it as a matter of fashion. Quality, craftsmanship
and deflected luxury are high on her list. Most
importantly, she doesn’t rub it in everyone’s face.
She’s dignified and cool about it.

306 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Photography: Spike Visser INSPIRATION

I am very interested in pre-modern forms of dress. I
find it fascinatingly simple and complex. However,
the pleated corset was conceptualized from a
photograph captured by Kevin Carter (The Child and
the Vulture) during the Sudan civil war in 1993. The
photograph won Carter the Pulitzer, and arguably
it drove him to take his life. I don’t think you can
forget that image if you see it. I wanted to pivot my
first collection on a strong memory, and I found it
much easier to look at that photograph afterwards. I
found the inverse of Carter’s photograph in another
set of photographs taken by Sipke Visser (At last,
the chickens!). I created the corset as a bird of prey
– a vulture. I wanted it to usher in death as well as
mercy and relief. I tried to express that by blending
in beauty with an aggressive instinctual feel. About
fabrics, I generally gravitate towards extremes, either
stiff, such as cotton organdy, paper silk, satin organza
and gazar, or soft, such as washed cotton, mat jersey,
cotton voile, chiffon and tulle. Stiff or soft, they
have to be natural fibers, but I have come across
a few great synthetics. In this instance, I relied on
the stiffness of paper silk to create the 3D pleating
and on the heavy cottons to create the base. Muted
colors work best with my cuts, but every now and
then I splash in a strong color, depending on the
mood. A few years ago I saw everything in black. Now
I’m seeing a lot of white, and occasionally grass green
and yellow. I also find a particular shade of peach-
pink very useful.

Omer Asim 307

CREATION

A great deal of my design is in the making process
itself. I resent sketching. It rules out all the beautiful
mistakes and accidents. I work on the half-scale
dummy before moving onto the full-scale. It usually
helps me to solidify my ideas. Primarily, I design
through the concept of the cut. I developed the
pleated corset from a circle to echo the traverse
of carrion around its prey. I worked backwards by
developing graduated 3D circular pleats with a
sliced-through effect to add to their perspective.
The torso was sectioned accordingly while imaging
how the pleats will diffuse away and into each other
to create a light wing-like structure. I visualized and
worked the seaming on the stand without the aid of
a sketch. This gives me a realistic proportion that I
can manipulate to achieve the effect I’m after. The
severity of the aesthetic lies in the sharp edges that
jut out where the lines usually lie straight. A pleat
pattern was developed for each of the ten pairs of
segments of the corset, graduating from 10mm (0.4
in) at the locus and diffusing away into 40mm (1.6
in). This created a puzzle of hand-pleated patterns
that sits precisely within the corresponding segment.
The skirt was created from the same circular pleating
principle. Pleats were oversized, sliced-through and
graduated by 5mm (0.2 in) from back to front. The
skirt can also be slung into an oversized bib to recall
the child in Carter’s photograph. All the pleating
was done by hand, and each pleat was secured to a
base at the measured distance by a looped stitch.
The pleated segments were appliquéd on to a softly
boned base made from two layers of cotton drill and
calico. The base was molded closely to the body,
with the pleated segments echoing the seaming.
Flattening out the seam thickness demanded a
great deal of craftsmanship when more than two
seams converged to a point. The same method was
applied to the skirt/bib.

308 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Omer Asim 309

LOOK Pages 310+311 Photography: Spike Visser

These three images, taken by friend and
photographer Sipke Visser (author of the At last, the
chickens! photo), show Omer Asim’s great sensitivity,
naturalness, and meticulous technique – halfway
between fashion and architecture – with an outfit
made up of a perfectly-structured skirt and top that
conveys lightness, elegance, and sophistication.

310 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Omer Asim 311

OSTWALD HELGASON

www.ostwaldhelgason.com

The Ostwald Helgason label was created in 2006 by
Susanne Ostwald and Ingvar Helgason. Susanne Ostwald
was born in Leipzig, Germany, in 1979, and she graduated
with a master’s degree in fashion design from the Burg
Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle. Ingvar
Helgason was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1980. He studied
fashion design in Copenhagen and worked as a tailor in
his home country before studying fashion management in
London. These two designers met while working in a design
studio in the British capital. After receiving two design
grants from the German government, they were invited
to present their first collection at the German embassy
during Paris Fashion Week, and later, in 2008, during Berlin
Fashion Week as part of the young talent program. Their
pieces are a mix of tailoring and draping that go to creating
a gentle architecture, structured pieces that have become
the label's signature. Their method involves both designers
being responsible for the concept and general look of
each collection; however, Ostwald concentrates on the
palette of colors and print designs, while Helgason centers
on the forms. By using exclusive prints, strong colors, and
a modern interpretation of couture, they have gained the
attention of figures renowned for their honed sense of
style, such as Daphe Guinness and Rihanna.

MY IT

According to the mood of each season, Ostwald
Helgason has in mind a different girl that embodies
their ideals. This season it was a very active
woman who spends her free time doing sports like
swimming, boxing and fencing, but in the evening she
goes out to hang out with friends and socialize. In
order to achieve a look that is rich in references and
textures, they try to combine impossible opposites,
which in this case was ladies who lunch and boxers.

312 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Pages 312+313 Photography: Alastair Strong

INSPIRATION

The collection also references Japanese interiors –
lacquered surfaces, bamboo, woven straw mats and
ikebana (Japanese flower arrangements) – mixed
with sportswear, graphical patterns, clean lines and
the high contrast found in old photographs. Ostwald
Helgason continues to work with its signature:
photorealistic replicas of existing items that through
subtle manipulation of color and form create new
surfaces. Haptic richness of textures ranges from soft
liquid silk satins and polished leather to high shine
Italian double woven wool and thick, soft mohair
knits. Stretch net trimmed with soft napa leather is
then mixed in to bring lightness to the collection.
The colors of this collection are a subtle mixture
of charcoal, steel gray, off-white, beige and black
combined with rich hues of ice blue, frosty green,
orange and dusty pink.

Ostwald Helgason 313

P.314+315_Photography: Alastair Strong

CREATION

We work hard sketching and studying the fabrics,
textures and prints that we will use in the garments.
The sketch of the final outfit is shown in the above
photo. It is actually a collage but that is how we
build a lot of our designs. We like the contrasts.
For this reason we mix transparencies, wools and
leather, which transmit different sensations. In
those pages we show some outfits that are being
matched up with the right fabrics, prints and colors
for the sampling edit. For the look that we will show
here, we have chosen four pieces: a white jacket
combined with a black shorts, a transparent top
and napa gloves. The jacket needs a special care
in its construction in order that all the lines stay
impeccable and very structured, as we like it. Here
we show the jacket toile in its final stages of fitting
while the collar length is being adjusted.

314 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Ostwald Helgason 315

P.316+317_Photography: Alastair Strong

LOOK

The result is a sensual look for a very active woman
who seeks a touch of sport lines in her garments
(according with her life style) but at the same time
likes to feel comfortable and sophisticated. To add
contrast, the light tailored wool jacket is styled with
a pair of mohair shorts that are knitted to resemble
astrakhan fur and accessorized with shiny napa
leather gloves, a sheer sporty hooded top and a pair
of knee high boots in black leather.

316 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design



RACHEL FREIRE

www.rachelfreire.com

Rachel Freire is a London-based fashion designer with a
background in fine arts who debuted at On|Off during
London Fashion Week in February 2009 at the Science
Museum. Her work appears in such publications as Tank,
Dazed and Confused, AnOther, Zink, Issue One, Sublime,
Timeout, y en prensa artística como Flux, Juxtapoz, and The
Illustrated Ape. She has designed special pieces for Beth
Ditto, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna, and her work is
admired by Courtney Love, Saint Saviour, and many others.
Graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2006 with a
degree in design for performance, Rachel is self-taught in
patternmaking and tailoring, and has never studied fashion.
Her influences come from the passion for historical
costume and futuristic imagery. In a world obsessed with
androgyny, Rachel Freire’s challenge is the fusion of
the ultra-feminine with the ultra-masculine. Behind the
dramatic silhouettes and decadent embellishments, her
clothes are designed to be wearable, durable, feminine, and
very flattering.

MY IT

The woman who wants to look amazing and yet not
worry about ripping a seam. She is a woman who is
comfortable both in a big dirty city and in a deserted
plain and wants her clothes to protect her, yet
remain feminine and beautiful. She sees clothing as a
walking wearable art and she is not afraid to express
herself through her second skin. To be at one with
an outlandish garment demands a strong character
and resolve in who you are as a person beneath it.
An awareness of the ethics does not have to mean
dull cotton garments. It can be upheld by investing
in pieces that come from a house that respects the
process of producing for those who do not have the
time to consider these things in the whirlwind of life.

318 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

INSPIRATION

Androgyny is such a prevalent influence in modern
fashion, blurring the boundaries between the sexes.
I am interested in the equal and the opposite: the
ultra-feminine and ultra-masculine in a harmonious
combination which uses both elements seamlessly.
Decadent and detailed pieces require a handmade
attention which would never be possible in a factory,
and to own one piece would supersede the idea of
having many. Clothing should be akin to a uniform,
which empowers the wearer, something timeless
and universal. It should be inspired by characters
from one of many possible futures that only exist in
our minds, in stories, on celluloid; now brought to
life, drawing their inspiration from all the elements
that make up our amazing history and culture.
Modern technological fabrics should be combined
with delicate yet powerful fabrics, and you should
always use the best materials, the ones that have
stood the test of time, such as leather of the highest
possible quality. The throwaway generation needs
to be slowly pushed out of our culture in favor of
quality and longevity and respect for garments,
which should be replaced only as they need to be.
They should be worn to death. As for fabrics, I prefer
to use leather, chiffon, drill/canvas, and also Lycra,
tweed/wool, power mesh, skin variations – salmon,
stingray, clear vinyl – and high visibility reflective
fabrics. I like the colors nude, black, metallic silver,
gold, rust, copper, bronze, powder blues, muted
earthy tones and army drab.

Rachel Freire 319

CREATION

The most fascinating thing to me are the pieces that
can exist in a number of states at the same time.
With this in mind, I create garments incorporating
elements that trick the eye. This suit is made in its
feminine form with ruffles to hide the panels of
transparent mesh that would expose the wearer, and
in contrast, a high visibility reflective fabric which
illuminates when it is hit by direct light, transforming
the wearer into a glowing silhouette and highlighting
the curves of the body. Features are added with
decadent practicality: the only contrasting element
to the soft stretch fabrics is a heavy metal zipper,
which sits in the crotch, like a piece of irreverent
sexual jewelry. Worn in nude, it distorts the view of
the figure. In black, it becomes sexy and cat-like, and
as a reflective piece it has the feeling of a futuristic
superhero. One version of the piece incorporates
tiny loops in each seam to which any trailing material
can be attached, creating a flowing undulating vision
of chaos around a very tightly structural garment.

320 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Rachel Freire 321

LOOK

This garment is echoed in various ways throughout
the Rachel’s fall/winter 2010/11 collection. It is
designed to be completely body-con so as to allow
the wearer complete freedom of movement, yet
being incredibly intricate and embellished. It can be a
piece which stands alone or worn as a base garment,
and it embodies the look and feel of Rachel Freire.
These three photos show three different versions of
the catsuit: black, nude and reflective.

322 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design



RAPHAEL HAUBER

www.raphaelhauber.com

In 2010 the German designer Raphael Hauber launched his
eponymous label, bringing a radical change to the career he
began in 2003 with the founding of Postweiler Hauber. He
studied textile and clothing technology at the Hochschule
Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences and graduated in
fashion design at the Pforzheim University, both in Germany.
Since that time he has taken part in trade and fashion shows
such as Dune in Tokyo; Projekt Galerie, Bread & Butter, and
Ideal in Berlin; and Rendez-Vous in Paris. For Hauber, fashion
mainly means changes – the perception and filtration of
the vibrations that have never previously been mentioned
and described, and which finally end up as part of a
product, a collection, and its presentation. His belief is that
presentation, whether in a fashion show, performance, or
video, is as important as the garment itself, because it helps
him to experiment with the collection. He also considers
common trends less significant, although this does not
mean that he does not take notice of them. He does not
invent new pants or new shirts as if by magic; rather, like a
DJ, he makes new compositions, samples, and mixtures.
Raphael Hauber creates fashion that can be worn by both
men and women.

MY IT

My Its are modern, curious and creative. Women and
men with an individual lifestyle and with a dry sense
of humor, who are open-minded and who recognize
what zeitgeist is. People who have similar feelings
for the environment we choose to live in, people
who discern the whole work.

324 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

INSPIRATION

We currently live in a society in constant change, in
which many people are in continuous movement,
knowing where they are and what their space is now,
but not what tomorrow holds. This kind of mobile
people with temporary lifestyles, like twenty-first-
century nomads, “roomers,” is my main influence, the
source of my inspiration. The rug will be the piece
symbolizing this concept, as it represents an easy
way to mark out space, of limiting territory. I will be
using printed denim, herringbone pattern linen, silk,
and cotton. I’ve chosen black to contrast with the
brightly colored prints that recall those of rag rugs.

Raphael Hauber 325

CREATION

The collection consists of a complete essential
wardrobe for those “roomers,” from colored jeans,
T-shirts, and bomber jackets to more elegant but
still suitable every day pieces. Photos of colored rag
rugs are used as allover prints as well as an abstract
black and white print of a scaled-up rag rug pile.
The clear forms of a squared and an oval carpet are
used for shapes and print details. The garments are
designed as very comfortable pieces, with neutral
silhouettes. This allows the clothes to be dressed by
both men and women.

326 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Raphael Hauber 327

LOOK

While developing this interesting “roomers”
concept, the result we achieved showed several
possibilities. The image on this page shows the
pants mixing the rag-rug prints, both in color and
black and white, and combined with an oversized
black T-shirt. On the right, the image shows a man’s
outfit (jacket and pants) with the same colorful
rag-rug print and a woman’s outfit (leggings and
bomber jacket) with the enlarged or graded print
in black and white. This work represents Raphael
Hauber’s mastery and technique in the use of
prints. These casual and highly original looks are for
contemporary people who live for the moment.

328 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Raphael Hauber 329

ROBERTO ZAMARRIPA

www.myspace.com/caballosazules

Artist Roberto Zamarripa was born in Mexico in 1984
and graduated with distinction from a degree course in
design for graphic communication. He has developed
multidisciplinary skills and professional experience in fields
such as fashion design, photography, and contemporary
dance. He specialized in publishing as the art and design
director of a local fashion magazine. All the while he was
carrying out independent projects of art creation and
dissemination, together with works involving visual arts,
performing arts, and collaborations for different Mexican
magazines. His work has appeared in publications and books
including the Índice de Artistas Plásticos de Jalisco. He has
shared his experiences by teaching fashion design, graphic
design, and advertising degree courses. In fashion, Roberto
is the creator of the brand of fashion basics, Caballos
Azules y Zamarripa, Prêt-à-Porter, collections of which he
as presented at important events in his country like Mexico
Fashion Week, International Designers México, and Minerva
Fashion. He has been acknowledged in recent years with
awards including Nuevo Talento in 2008 and Talento Textil
from the Mexican National Textile Industry Chamber. Some
of his designs have appeared on trend prediction websites
such as WGSN.

MY IT

Unity, integrity, an honest and intelligent woman or
man, coherent in their way of thinking and acting, a
lover of aesthetics and of things with substance. It’s
a person who goes beyond genre, who is beautiful
whatever they wear, since they communicate what
they hold inside.

330 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

INSPIRATION

I start with inspirational propositions: modernity,
redefinition, genre, nature, search, the canon of
current beauty, of thought and imagination, or its
transformation. The construction of a concept
that reflects exterior beauty as a consequence of
its expressive content. By merging the objectual
values of some with the content of others, I select
the expressive material that best communicates it.
I remake the colors and shapes, expressing them
as contrasts, ambiguously. I mix fabrics, colors, and
textile process. In other words, the selection of these
things isn’t so much the material of inspiration for
developing the design. Instead, they are entirely the
result of the selection of the best expressive material
in order to communicate the concept. I therefore
move away in a dangerous way from trends in shapes
and marked color schemes so that I can create an
honest and individual design.

Roberto Zamarripa 331

CREATION

The most important part of the design is the
generation of a concept, the fusion that is the
result of the research and of the discourse that the
concept will support for its creation, in this case the
dematerialization of the being. The concept is based
on sound and other multidisciplinary materials, the
generation of shapes, stories, colors, textures, etc.
It’s important that the result not only has weight
and be aesthetically appealing. It should be the
natural result of the actual expression of the design.
What is important is to construct it as something
that communicates, something that is produced for
me in a creative moment. Here I’ve designed pieces
that will work with this language. The images show
some sketches reflecting much more than the actual
garments. I like them to transmit my intention, as if
they were illustrations. First I’ve designed a sleeveless
T-shirt with braided strips in the same fabric that will
sit around from the shoulder and will have tresses
of hair hanging from them. The second choice is a
floral print pencil skirt with a top. The lines are simple
because the details have to be the focus of attention
on this occasion so that the essence of the collection
– the human being – comes through at first sight.

332 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Roberto Zamarripa 333

LOOK

The result reflects the dematerialization of the being
by means of two options. The images show part
of the disappearing, dematerialized body. The hair,
hidden under stockings covering the models’ heads,
appears represented on the clothes, alluding to the
same concept. The look on the right comprises two
pieces, a high-cut floral tube skirt and a black top
with volume on the sleeves and applications. The
headpiece made of flowers is a strong reference
to traditional Mexican costumes. On the left, the
model is wearing a navy blue T-shirt with straps
made from the same material on the shoulders
and black shorts – an original outfit for boys with
personality.

334 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Roberto Zamarripa 335

SIMON EKRELIUS

www.simonekrelius.com

Simon Ekrelius grew up in Stockholm, where he studied
fashion design, art history, and illustration. He graduated
from Stockholm’s Tillskärar Akademi with a collection
that was voted one of the best at the Swedish Sportswear
International Fashion Awards (SIFA) of that year. He
founded his own ready-to-wear label in 2006 after several
years of making haute couture for advertising projects,
private clients, and companies like BMG, British American
Tobacco, and Wrigley’s. Simon's fascination for modern and
postmodern architecture has had a great influence on his
collections. His pieces feature the use of strong prints, in
contrast with delicate fabrics, asymmetric cuts, and a touch
of ironic humor. His ready-to-wear line was presented
for the first time in 2008 at Paris Fashion Week, and since
that time it has been presented during London Fashion
Week at the famous independent On|Off show. Some of
Simon Ekrelius’ designs were selected to form a part of the
Fashion Cares event for HIV/AIDS awareness, sponsored by
MAC Cosmetics. The Ekrelius label is a favorite with such
celebrities as Alison Goldfrapp, Lady Gaga, Love Inc., The
Plastiscines, Jessie J, and London’s Fashion Stylist of the
Year for 2009, Grace Woodward.

MY IT

My It girl in mind is independent, always on her
own when it comes to style and look. She is not
a follower. She is a girl aiming to set the trail and
leading you to new ideas. She understands the future
and the past. She is It.

336 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

P.336+337_Photography: Othello De’Souza-Hartley

INSPIRATION

This jumpsuit is part of the fall/winter 2010/11
collection, inspired by Le Corbusier’s Philips Pavilion
at the 1958 World Fair in Brussels, of which I made
use of the shape and attitude. It led me upwards and
reminded me about the universe. I felt intrigued by
the early way of looking at space. My It girl is a part
of the whole story with early technology. The cover
image of the film Herostratus became the inspiration
for the attitude. The color palette included light
silver, dark silver, gunpowder black, and bold black.

Simon Ekrelius 337

Pages 338+339 Photography: Othello De’Souza-Hartley CREATION

The most important part of the process is my
thinking period, which can start at any moment
and goes on until the moment I’m about to start
working on the new collection. It begins with a
small thought and then I build ideas around it until
the concept is firm enough to start the drawing
process. I then lock myself alone in my studio, and
I usually need one and half months to complete
the collection. My work is based on my inspiration,
so most important is my way of finding the best
technical solution to express the feelings of the
story. The fabrics come when I decide the color
palette. I have a tendency to do too many toiles
before I cut in the real material, but the precision
and balance has to be right. Regarding this jumpsuit,
I chose to use silk jersey to achieve a sort of slinky
effect, while not being too tight. I wanted there to
be just the right distance from skin to material, with
obviously placed shoulder pads. The print and the
cut reflect my inspiration completely: the speed in
space, the energy, and the feeling of being before
something unknown.

338 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

Simon Ekrelius 339

Page 340 Photography: Othello De’Souza-Hartley. Page 341 Photography: Jenni Porkka. Styling: Sasha Rainbow. Make-up: Afton R

LOOK

Simon Ekrelius loves the “over the top” sense of
style. It is a big part of his way of looking at fashion.
His It girl really knows how to style herself with his
prints and the jumpsuit. She is well aware of her own
look and she is the one who takes center stage. This
is a piece that can be layered or worn on its own. It
can be mixed with other prints or be kept with plain
colored pieces.

340 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design



Photography: Arjan Mak SJAAK HULLEKES

sjaakhullekes.blogspot.com

Menswear designer Sjaak Hullekes was born in the little
Dutch town of Zierikzee in 1981. He moved to Arnhem
to study fashion design at the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts.
Hullekes graduated in 2005, during the first Arnhem Fashion
Biennale, from the school that was renowned for previously
having produced such high profile designers as Alexander
van Slobbe, Lucas Ossendrijver (Lanvin), and Viktor &
Rolf. After graduating, he founded his company, Arnheim
Fashion, together with his partner and former classmate
Sebastiaan Kramer. Starting in January 2006, both worked
independently for several fashion companies as they tried
to gain a foothold in the sector. A year after setting up
Arnheim Fashion, Sjaak Hullekes presented his eponymous
menswear label at Amsterdam Fashion Week. Hullekes is
the company’s creative director and designer while Kramer
is in charge of the business, sales, and PR side. In 2008
they presented themselves to the international market by
showing their collection at the Paris and Milan Menswear
Fashion Weeks. The quality of their designs has led to
acknowledgements, such as the Mercedes Benz Dutch
Fashion Award, which they received in November 2009.

MY IT

He is a dandyish yet sensible man, who takes the
time to escape from daily cares and isn’t afraid to
romanticize his life. He is a hard-working man, and
finds his peace by appreciating refined workmanship
in everything he sees: art, architecture, fashion,
and other gadgets. He lives in a metropolitan city,
but knows there is a world beyond, a world he
remembers from his childhood, which makes him a
fragile gentleman who enjoys life.

342 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

INSPIRATION

Nostalgia for a warm aesthetic, for handmade
exclusiveness and sophisticated balance. Think
1970s automobiles, haystacks, forests, the Riviera
of days gone by, antiques, Bauhaus, and so on.
The fabrics used for the outfit are for a summer
wardrobe. The pants, shirt and shawl have very fine
yarn dyed stripes or checks. As I like to play with the
fragility of a man, I often use transparent fabrics, like
I did for my It boy too. Since this It boy feels confident
with himself, he likes to wear more outspoken
fabrics, such as the heavy mesh I used for his jacket.
In combination with the mesh I choose to use a fine
linen/cotton fabric in a contrasting color. All the
fabrics I used are from a high-quality cotton or linen.
Natural colors are a continue base in my collections.
The natural colors used in this outfit will underline
the character of the It boy even more, and make his
outfit wearable for every occasion. Because of the
use of cottons and linens, the colors automatically
turn out to be duller, which brings a nostalgic feeling
to the clothes and, at the same time, remind him of
the country-life he used to live in the past.

Sjaak Hullekes 343

CREATION

The most important thing for me before I start
designing is to know what fabrics I will be using.
By touching the fabrics I get inspired in creating
garments, and I start sketching and drawing. In this
case I draw the total look to get a feeling of what it is
going to look like. The shirt for him is a bit oversized.
Sensibility has been given to the shirt by the blind
placket and the thin-striped cotton. The country-life
comes back in the refined but slightly bigger chest
pocket. The straight hem, the hand-stitched collar
and cuffs, and my version of an “American” cuff-
placket make this shirt not just an ordinary oversized
shirt. The trousers have pick stitching made by
hand at the fly and pockets, the inside of the pants’
waistband has got box pleats, and all the pockets are
taped. For trousers, a good fit in combination with
good (inside) detailing is a must and will remind one
of the 1970s. In combination with the heavy knitted
cotton mesh the look of this jacket will become
new. The mesh is combined with a brown fabric to
give the jacket more “body,” and to accentuate its
transparency. To finish the jacket, it is taped on the
inside with a brown cotton tape that matches the
placket, cuffs, pocket flaps and collar. A small shawl
adds the final touch to the outfit, because my It boy
should not go out without a shawl. Then the designs
are directly translated into patterns, and the fabrics
are cut by the interns (together with me). While the
seamstresses are making the items ready, I still like
to have control of how things should be sewed, as
I often come up with new ideas during the sewing
process. I continuously fit the items on a tailor bust
to see if everything is going as I would like it to be.

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LOOK

The final look has got the sensibility of what Sjaak
Hullekes is about, represented in an outfit consisting
of three items and a small shawl. The model, Sander,
is a perfect example of a Sjaak Hullekes It boy. He is
a kind, fresh and gentle person, but masculine and
self-aware at the same time. He is able to wear this
outfit the way a dandy should wear it.

346 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design



TARO HORIUCHI

www.tarohoriuchi.com

The Japanese designer Taro Horiuchi was born in Tokyo in
1982. The son of antique dealers, he spent his childhood
surrounded by works of art from different periods: antique,
modern, and contemporary. He studied at Kingston
University in the UK, and later graduated with a fashion
design degree from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in
Antwerp at the top of his class. He worked as an assistant
to Raf Simons between 2004 and 2007, before doing an
internship at the Nina Ricci fashion house. He has shown
his collections in cities such as Paris and Tokyo, and in Italy.
Taro Horiuchi created a magnificent collection for Diesel
after having participated in the 2007 Diesel Award, which
he won. In 2009 he founded his own label, characterized by
the influence of art and architecture, and of nature, a major
source of his inspiration. Horiuchi defines his designs as new
expressions of beauty, and they are remarkable for their
simple, elegant, and enveloping lines. The designer aspires
to produce not only fashion in the future, but also everyday
objects.

MY IT

I create for both males and females. However, I
prefer to incorporate male details in my creations,
enabling both men and women to wear the clothes
if the size is suitable. They are people who are living
calm and rich lives of minimalism. They can find even
the simplest aspect of beauty in something in their
daily lives. They are people who don’t like to stand
out, but have clear thoughts about art, construction
and society as well as the ability to judge beauty and
tenderness. At the same time, with their flexible and
intelligent minds, they have no fear of accepting
something new.

348 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

INSPIRATION

I have been deeply inspired by artistic works from
both ancient eras – I grew up in artistic surroundings
– through to futuristic things. Additionally, I have
been affected by artistic works and structures that
reflect a certain time period as well as by the social
situation. My goal is to digest these things in order
to be able to express them in my own way through
my choice of fabric, product silhouette, jewelry and
installation. Based on my concepts, all is designed
to express beauty. I choose any necessary material,
including the fabric. I try to express people’s spirits
and lifestyles through the filter of fashion. I aim to
express “rich minimalism,” a mixture of organic and
inorganic texture and its balance. I have been inspired
to design these ideas by artists such as Anish Kapoor
and Isamu Noguchi, as well as the architect Peter
Zumtor.

Taro Horiuchi 349

CREATION

When I design a collection, I first design the world
that I believe to be the most beautiful. Then, I
imagine the people in the world: their characters,
lives and backgrounds as well as their favorite
textures. These steps are very important for me to
design my collections. When I create a product, I
consider not only the percentage of each material
to be used for making the desired fabric, but also the
kind and the size of paper to be used for producing
the brochures, for instance, as I believe that each
item, no matter how slight the difference in feature
or form, is important to create a beautiful product.
Many products are sewn in a factory in Japan
using beautiful silk and wool from Japan. For the
fall/winter collection, under the theme of void, I
collaborated with the artist Hisham Akira Bharoocha,
who works in New York. I printed his photos on the
lining and shirts. I thought that utilizing sensitive
colors on black would highlight the contrast and
would have a strong effect on the products. I have
organically incorporated geometric lines, which
express birds and a deer antler in the cut of the
jackets, blousons and other items. I have also placed
invisible pockets in the lines of the clothes.

350 1 Brief, 50 Designers, 50 Solutions in Fashion Design

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